Tufting machine



Jan. 10, 1939.

R. E. BAGGETT ET AL TUFT I NG MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1936 3Sheets-Sheet l Qwucwtobs Robert'EBy'g'elt Jallzes G01. 01v 60 2m Jan. 10', 1939.

Filed Dec. 21, 1936 Robert B James Gordolv 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 grwms gel??? Jan. 10, 1939. R E. BAGGET-T ET AL 2,143,618

TUFTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Rate/t E. 56: am Jalnes GOIdOIL awe/1M5 3% E WvK/LM Patented Jan. 10, 1939 I TUFTING MACHINE Robert E. Baggett and James Gordon, Sumter,

, S. 0., assignors to Polly Prentiss, Inc.,

Sumter,

S. 0., a corporation of South Carolina Application December 21, 1936, Serial No. 117,058

12 Claims.

Our invention relates to tufting machines.

An important object of the invention is to provide a tufting machine which is extremely simple in construction, compact, formed of relatively few parts, and which willbe easy to keep in operating order.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above mentioned character having a blade which is readily removable for sharpening or the like, without the necessity of dismantling other parts of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the above mentioned character, in the nature of an attachment, which may be installed upon the ordinary sewing machine. i

A further object of the invention is to provide means for driving the looper, which means receives its motion directly from the drive shaft.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent in the course of the following description.

I In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which likenumerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of .a tufting machine embodying our invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Figure 3 Ba side elevation of the looper and associate elements. with loop actuating crank being in the horizontal position to the left, and the needle in the uppermost position,

Figure 4 is a similar view with the loop actuating crank in the uppermost position, with the looper moved a further distance from the path of travel of the needle, and the blade moved forwardly to the cutting position,

Figure 5 is a similar view with the loop actuating crank in the horizontal position to the right with the looper moving across the path of travel of the needle with the needle in the lowermost position,

Figure 6 is a similar view of the looper moving outwardly from the needle and the needle rising, and,

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the looper and associate elements.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention, the numeral I ll designates the sewing machine as a whole, of any well-known or preferred type, such as the ordinary Singer sewing machine. This machine comprises a stock arm l2 and head l3. The stock II is mounted upon a fiat base l4. The head I 3 is provided with the usual vertical reciprocatory needle bar l5, carrying the needle IS. The needle bar is reciprocated by a link pivotally connected therewith and pivotally connected at l8 with a camcrank 9, which is clamped to the horizontal drive shaft 20, extending through the horizontal arm l2, and rotated by a grooved pulley 2|, which may be power driven. The head l3 carries the usual presser foot 22, raised and lowered by the usual means including a lever 23. Arranged below the base l4 are horizontal rock shafts 24 and 25, which are held by suitable stationary bearings. The sewing machine further comprises work feed means, to advance the work from the operator, including feed dogs 26, operating through a suitable opening in the base l4, and these dogs are rigidly mounted upon a rigid dog supporting link or bar 21. At one end, the link 21 is rigidly connected with a transverse head 28, pivoted at 23 with cranks 30, in turn rigidly mounted upon the rock shaft 24. At its opposite end, the rigid link 21 is provided with a fork 3|, receiving the roller 32, pivotally mounted upon a crank 33, in turn rigidly mounted upon the rock shaft 25. These rock shafts. extend longitudinally of the drive shaft 20 and areparallel therewith. The rock shafts 24 and 25 are provided adiacent to the stock with cranks 34 and 35, respectively. The cranks 34 and 35 are pivotally connected with connecting rods 36 and 31 respectively, which are actuated by cams 38 and 39 respectively, in turn carried and driven by the drive shaft 2|). It might be stated at this point that the rock shaft 24 serves to move the dog carrying link 21 longitudinally, while the rock'shaft 25 serves to raise and lower the same. The drive crank 2|) is also provided with a crank 40, including a crank pin 4|. The foregoing descripti n is that of the ordinary sewing machine, such as the Singer sewing machine.

Rigidly attached to the horizontal base 4 adjacent to one longitudinal edge thereof and depending therefrom are brackets 42, having bearings 43 for holding an auxiliary rock shaft 44, arranged near and parallel to the rock shaft 24. This auxiliary bearing carries a long crank arm 45, equipped with a collar 46, adapted to be clamped to the rock shaft 44 by a set screw 41 or the like. Pivotally connected with the crank arm 45 at 48 is a connecting rod or link 49, the upper end of which is pivotally connected with the crank pin 4|.

Arranged beneath the horizontal base I4 is a U-shaped bracket 50, adapted to be rigidly secured to a stationary lug depending from the base M. This connection may be efi'ected by a bolt 52 or by soldering or welding, or both, it not being necessary to adjust the bracket if the parts are properly assembled and it being preferred to have the bracket positively held against displacement, as by soldering. This U-shaped bracket is arranged beneath and in alignment of thepath of travel of the needle but of course permanently spaced therefrom. The numeral 53 designates a looper member as a whole, comprising an arm 54, to the lower end of which is rigidly secured a sleeve 55, pivotally mounted upon a pin or bolt 56, carried by the bracket 50. The looper arm is provided at its free or upper end with a looper element or bill 51, preferably having a down turned end or hook 58. The looper element is pivotally mounted to swing in a vertical plane in the direction of the feed of the work, and its free end faces in the opposite direction to the feed of the work. When the needle descends, the looper element 51 moves toward the needle and across the path of travel, to-receive the loops therefrom. The looper element is swung in timed order by a connecting link or rod 59, pivotally connected with-the looper at 60 and this link is pivotally connected with a crank 6|, rigidly attached to the rock shaft 44.

Operating in conjunction with the looper is a cutting element or blade 62, which is bodily separately mounted from the looper. This blade is inserted within a socket 53, which is rigidly secured to a crank 64 by screws 65 or the like, although it may be formed integral therewith. The blade 62 is rigidly clamped in place within the socket 63 by a set screw 5|. The blade 62 is suitably stiif and somewhat resilient and its forward cutting edge 66 is preferably inclined, faces toward the free end of the looper element 51, and rubs against or has a shearing action with the looper element. If desired, an additional leaf spring 61 may be held within the socket 63, with the blade 62, to increase the tension of'the blade 62. The crank 64 is rigidly secured to the rock shaft 24 and depends therefrom. The crank 54 is considerably longer than the crank 6|. .It is thus seen that the blade 62 is bodily separately mounted from the looper member 53, and the support or mounting for the blade is entirely separate from the looper and the mounting for the looper whereby the blade is in no sense carried by the looper.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The needle and work feed dogs operate in the usual manner, and when the needle descends the dogsare lowered and moved rearwardly and rise and move forwardly as the needle is elevated. I will now describe the timed operation of the looper andblade or cutter with respect to the needle and with respect to each other. As shown in Figure 1, the needle is in the elevated position, and the eccentric crank I9 is in the uppermost position while the crank pin 4| is in the horizontal position to the left.. This is also shown in Figures 2 and 3. When the needle is in this elevated position, the looper element 51 has moved away to some extentfrom the path of travel of the needle and is swinging counterclockwise, Figure 3, while the blade 62 is swinging counterclockwise and its cutting edge is moving toward the looper element 51. When the crank pin reaches the uppermost position, Figure 4, theneedle has started to descend,

- and the cam crank I! will be in the horizontal intermediate position to the right. The looper element 51 continues to travel counterclockwise upward movement of the blade so that it will not sever the last loop caught at the free end of the looper element, and the blade will cut the previous loop or loops caught, which are fed forward with the work. The looper element and blade are swinging in the same direction, but the blade swings for a greater distance than the looper element as the crank 64 is longer than the crank 6|, thereby effecting a relative movement between the blade and the looper element, to effect the cutting action. As stated, when the crank pin 4| reaches the uppermost position, Figure 4, the needle is travelling downwardly and reaches the lowermost position, when'the. crank pin 4| is in the horizontal position to the right. When the crank pin 4| travels from the elevated position, in Figure 4, to the horizontal intermediate position, Figure 5, the looper element 51 is travelling toward the lowered needle and is across its path of travel-while the blade 62 is swinging in the same direction but travels a greater distance and hence moves from the looper element and is therefore out of the way of the needle. At about the time that the crank pin 4| reaches the lowered position, Figure 6, the needle has started to move upwardly and is in the intermediate raised position while the looper element51. is projected further across the path of travel of the needle, and the blade 62 continuing to swing in the same direction withthe looper and for a greater distance, moves farther from the looper. When the crank pin 4| reaches the intermediate position to the left, Figure 3, the looper hasswung from the path of travel of the needle in a counterclockwise direction and the blade is swinging in the same direction but for a greater distance and is therefore approaching the looper element. When the crank shaft reaches the intermediate position, in Figure 3, the cycle of operation is repeated.

. We also contemplate having the looper mounted to have a rectilineal reciprocatory movement instead of a rocking movement, while the cutter would continue to .have the rocking movement,

and the looper and cutter would be moved in the same direction. The word reciprocatory" as used in the claims is employed in its broad sense, meaning an element which moves back and forth either in a straight path or in a curved path.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and the variouschanges in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a tufting machine, work feed mechanism, a pivoted looper so swing in a circular path, a reciprocatory needle to cooperate with the looper, a pivoted cutting device for coaction with the looper and mounted separately from the looper and swinging in a circular path throughout its entire travel and rubbing against the'looper to have a shearing action therewith to sever the yarn, vand means to simultaneously swing the looper and the cutting device in a counter-clockwise direction and then simultaneously swing the looper and cutting device in a clockwise direction while moving one for a greater distance than the other during each swinging movement to effect a relative movement between the same.

2. In a tufting machine, sewing mechanism including a reciprocatory needle, a pivoted looper, work feed means, rock shafts, certain of the rock shafts being connected with the work feed means, means to move the looper, a cutting device for coaction with the looper and mounted upon one of the rock shafts so that it swings in a circular path throughout its entire travel, the cutting device being mounted separately from the looper and rubbing against the same for producing a shearing action to sever the yarn, the arrangement being such that the looper and cutting device move simultaneously in a counterclockwise direction and then simultaneously in a clockwise direction when viewed from the same side with one moving for a greater distance than the other during each movement to effect a relative movement between the same.

3. In a tufting machine, a drive shaft, a reciprocatory needle driven from the drive shaft, rock shafts driven from the drive shaft, work feed means connected with and driven from certain of the rock shafts, a reciprocatory looper arranged to coact with the needle and driven from one rock shaft, and a yielding cutting device mounted upon one rock shaft to turn therewith, the yielding cutting device moving in a circular path throughout its entire travel and separately mounted from the looper and having a rubbing action with the side of the looper for producing a shearing action to sever the yarn, the arrangement being such that the looper and cut ting device travel simultaneously in a counterclockwise direction and then travel simultaneously in a clockwise direction when viewed from the same side with one traveling a greater distance than the other to eifect a relative movement between the same.

4. In a tufting machine, a sewing machine comprising a base, a drive shaft arranged above the base, sewing means driven by the drive shaft and including a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn downwardly through a fabric upon the base to produce loops, rock shafts arranged below the base and extending longitudinally of the drive shaft, driving connecting means between the rock shafts and the drive shaft, work feed means operating beneath the base, means connecting the work feed means with the rock shafts, a pivoted looper for coaction with the 'needle to receive the loops therefrom and having a. hooked end so that the loops may accumulate thereon, a yielding cutting device mounted upon one rock shaft to be moved thereby in a circular path throughout its entire travel, the yielding cutting device being separately mounted from the looper and rubbing against the looper for producing a shearing action to sever the yarn and means to swing the pivoted looper so that the looper and cutting device travel simultane-v ously in a counter-clockwise direction and then travel simultaneously in a clockwise direction when viewed from the same side, the cutting device severing the loops upon the looper and leaving at least one loop thereon unsevered.

5. In a tufting machine, a sewing machine comprising a base, a drive shaft arranged above the base, sewing means driven by the drive shaft and including a reciprocatory needle, rock shafts arranged below the base and extending longitudinally of. the drive shaft, driving connecting means between the rock shafts and drive shaft,

work feed means operating below the base to en-' gage the fabric and feed the same, means connecting the work feed means with the rock shafts, a looper to swing about a fixed pivot for coaction with the needle, a third rock shaft, means to drive the looper from the third rock shaft, an arm rigidly mounted upon one of the first named rock shafts to turn therewith, a laterally resilient cutting element carried by the arm so that the cutting element moves in a cir cular path throughout its entire travel, the laterally resilient cutting element rubbing against the looper to provide a shearing action therewith to sever the yarn and means to turn the third rock shaft from the drive shaft so that the looper and cutting element travel simultaneously in a counter-clockwise direction and then travel simultaneously in 'a clockwise direction when viewed from the same side.

6. In a tufting machine, a sewing machine comprising a reciprocatory needle, work feed means, a pivoted looper swinging in a direction longitudinally of the work feed and facing in an opposite direction thereto and arranged to cooperate with the needle to receive loops therefrom, said looper having a hook so that loops may accumulate upon the looper, means to swing the looper, a swinging cutting device mounted separately from the looper, the cutting device rubbing against the looper and producing a shearing action to sever loop or loops thereon and leave at least one loop thereon unsevered, and means to simultaneously move the cutting device and the looper counter-clockwise when viewed from the same side and then simultaneously move the same clockwise when viewed'from the same side.

7. In a tufting machine, a sewing machine comprising a reciprocatory needle, work feed the looper and rubbing against the same to produce a shearing action to cut the yarn, a second element mounted to turn upon its longitudinal axis and connected with the looper to move'it. and means to simultaneously move said elements upon their longitudinal axes counter-clockwise and then simultaneously move them upon their longitudinal axes clockwise.

8. In a tufting machine, a reciprocatory needle, work feed means, a pivoted looper member to coact with the needle, a pivoted cutter in rubbing engagement with the looper member for producing a shearing action therewith and mounted separately from the pivoted looper member, the pivoted looper member and pivoted cutter traveling in intersecting arcs, and means to turn the looper member and the cutter counter-clockwise when viewed from one side and turn them clockwise when viewed from one side..

9. In a tufting machine, a sewing machine comprising a reciprocatory needle, work feed means, a pivoted looper member to coact with .the needle, a pivoted cutter mounted separately vmeans, a pivoted looper member comprising a looper arm and bill, a pivoted cutter mounted separate from the pivoted looper member and having permanent slidable engagement with the looper member for providing a shearing action with the bill, and means for operating the looper member and cutter for effecting a relative movement between the same and to cause the cutter to have a shearing action with the bill to sever the loop thereon and to then become spaced from the bill while remaining in engagement with the looper arm.

11. An attachment for use in connection with the parts of a sewing machine including a reciprocatory needle and work feed means, said attachment comprising a pivoted looper member to coact with the needle, a pivoted cutter member mounted separately from the looper member and having rubbing engagement with the looper member for producing a shearing action, and means to move the looper member and to move the cutter member for producing a relative movement between the same.

12. An attachment for use in connection with the needle, work support and work feed of a sewing machine, said attachment comprising a looper, means to pivotally mount the looper upon the opposite side of the work support with respect to the mounting of the needle, the looper moving in a direction longitudinally of the line of work and facing in an opposite direction to the feed of the work, means to turn the pivoted looper so thatit enters the loop when the needle is lowered, a pivoted cutter mounted separately from the looper to sever the loops upon the looper, the cutter having rubbing engagement with the looper to produce a shearing action therewith, the free end of the looper extending beyond the cutting range of the cutter so that the cutter severs some but not all of the loops upon the looper upon each cycle of operation of the machine, and means to move the pivoted cutter.

ROBERT E. BAGGETT. JAMES GORDON. 

